T2 relaxation time histograms in multiple sclerosis

An accurate measurement of the transverse relaxation time T2, and the histogram of T2 in the brain parenchyma can be accomplished in vivo using a multi-echo magnetic resonance imaging sequence. An estimate of the error in the T2 measurement is derived using copper sulfate doped water phantoms. Correction factors are calculated and applied to the signal intensity of each voxel prior to the in vivo T2 evaluation. These corrected T2 are in good agreement with the theoretical values calculated from copper sulfate concentrations. This technique is then applied to calculate T2 histograms of the brain. The population studied was composed of normal volunteers and multiple sclerosis patients. The corrected T2 histogram method discriminates the normal control population from the MS population, and also discriminates between relapsing-remitting patients and primary progressive or secondary progressive patients. Moreover using this approach we are able to detect in MS patients a global shift of the T2 of the white mater toward higher values. The results of this study showed that the method is easy to implement and may be used to characterize MS pathology.